1. Field of the Invention
Applicant's invention relates to apparatuses and methods for manufacturing golf clubs.
2. Background Information
At present, golf clubs are either mass produced by large manufacturing concerns using assembly line methods or are produced by hand, a single club at a time. Making golf club sets by the latter method involves considerable effort and time. This places the price of custom golf club sets out of the reach of most golfers.
For each golf club assembled by other than mass production methods, the head and butt ends of each club's shaft must be cut to achieve the desired length and shaft flexibility. Thus, to produce a full set of golf clubs which may include between eight and ten clubs depending on the player's preference, between sixteen and twenty individual shaft cuts must be made. If the person making the clubs lacks proper equipment and an optimally-efficient method for producing clubs, a great deal of unnecessary production time may be lost as a result of the difficulty and inefficiency of the production method.
In addition to shaft length, a given golf club set exhibits eight variable characteristics including shaft flexibility, club head design, swing weight, shaft material, loft, lie, and grip size. Of these variable characteristics, swing weight, loft, lie, and, to a degree, shaft flexibility are determined by the assembly process whereas the remaining variable characteristics are functions of the material and design of the components which are selected.
The loft of a golf club is defined as the acute angle defined by a first line parallel with the striking face of the club's head and oriented co-planar with the axis of the club's shaft and a second line perpendicular to the axis of the club's shaft and co-planar with the first line. The loft of the clubs of a typical golf club set will range from 17 to 56 degrees with the sandwedge having the largest angle of loft.
The lie of a golf club is defined as the acute angle defined by a first line corresponding to the axis of the club's shaft and a second line corresponding to the head's intended horizontal striking orientation. The lie of the clubs of a typical golf club set will range from 55 to 63 degrees with the sandwedge having the largest angle of lie.
The swing weight of a golf club relates to the club's weight distribution. Variation in swing weight is achieved by adding weight at the tip end of a club's shaft. Presently, weight is added by funneling lead shot or powder into a shaft at the butt end, allowing it to fall to the tip end, and sealing the lead at the tip end, usually by driving a cork into the shaft until it rests against the lead shot or powder near the tip end of the shaft. Adjusting swing weight by this method is not particularly precise nor is it completely safe for workers in that it involves exposure to lead. The swing weight of a club is measured by a fulcrum scale specifically outfitted for weighing golf clubs.
It is desirable and in the best interest of golfers to provide the golfing industry with improved equipment and methods for producing custom golf club sets with a high degree of precision and with the least possible expenditure of time and effort.